I awoke to this lovely sunrise at around 6:30am.
I admired it for a few seconds, snapped a few pictures...then immediately went back to sleep.
I woke up again after 10 am, then proceeded to wake up my Fiance. We got dressed and got ready for the day. First thing, I opened up the Open Table app and exclaimed-- "lets go to breakfast at Mon Ami Gabi"! And hey, while I'm at it, I'll make a last minute reservation for 11:00am.
We got downstairs, and realized breakfast ends at 11 am. Hmm...that's not going to work ( I can't miss breakfast--my most favorite meal of the day! ). It's too close to the time to edit the reservation on Open Table (it won't let me). So at around 10:3o am, we walked-in the restaurant, and told the hostess we had a reservation for a later time. They sat us right away so it was no problem.
Our table was at the area before the patio outside. I think I really love it here. It's perfect with the morning light shining in from the glass windows, but we're not directly in the sun.
We got downstairs, and realized breakfast ends at 11 am. Hmm...that's not going to work ( I can't miss breakfast--my most favorite meal of the day! ). It's too close to the time to edit the reservation on Open Table (it won't let me). So at around 10:3o am, we walked-in the restaurant, and told the hostess we had a reservation for a later time. They sat us right away so it was no problem.
Our table was at the area before the patio outside. I think I really love it here. It's perfect with the morning light shining in from the glass windows, but we're not directly in the sun.
 | When confronted with the dilemma of ordering a drink , I requested "A Bellini for me please?" (Wait, didn't I just contradict myself that 11am was too early for an alcoholic drink...like yesterday?) But I can't help it, I saw everyone else ordering wines off of their trolleys, so it felt socially acceptable. One sip...hmm, I'm not so sure a Bellini is my drink of choice. I think I'll stick with Mimosas from here on out. |
[PROS]
[CONS]
- Good food.
- Friendly staff.
- Casual atmosphere.
- My Fiance was impressed with how fast the service was. We had the quickest service here overall this trip.
- Full menu available online with prices; inexpensive for the strip.
- You can make a reservation (though not for the Patio area) through Open Table or through their own website.
[CONS]
- Strange, on our receipt, there's no option to charge the meal back to the room. (It didn't show on our copy anyway).
My Fiance's Corn Beef Hash. Oh my goodness. Why didn't I order this? He was not a happy camper that I was self-partaking off his plate (he thought it was already a small portion).
Breakfast special with Pulled Pork Eggs Benedict and Chives on a Baguette (something like that). It was not bad, but in comparison to the Corn Beef Hash, it seem not as amazing.
It's difficult to say now, I like MAG just as much as Bouchon, though Bouchon feels a bit more formal.
I would love to come back and sample Lunch or Dinner. I bet watching the Bellagio fountain from the Patio in the afternoon would be a treat (when it's not blazing hot, or freezing outside).
| Mon Ami Gabi @ Paris. 3655 Las Vegas Blvd. South Las Vegas, NV 89109 702. 944.4224 SUN.-THURS.: 7a- 11a FRI.- SAT: 7a- 12a MENUS + RESERVATIONS online. |
After breakfast, my Fiancé wanted to walked though Bally's Bazaar area to find a store that sold hot sauces for gifts. We wandered into LuLu's that sold some along with Beef Jerky. The sales person was really nice, but they don't ship (only if you order through their online store) as they only deal with items purchased at the store. We thanked her and continued walking as I remembered seeing online there was another (bigger) hot sauce place nearby. We walked up and down each aisle of the shops--of course it had to be almost the very last shop at the end (towards Cromwell; behind is Flamingo Road). We ended up in Light my fire (store #114) and bought a bunch of their mini-hot sauces (good prices, and the smaller bottles are plastic so you don't have to worry about glass breaking). We had a few laughs here. The names of all of their Hot Sauces are hilarious. Their offering is pretty vast and everything is organized by the level of spiciness. The only downside is that it felt like a self-service experience.
Next, we walked to the Coke and M&M stores. It's been a while since we've last visited. The only change at the Coke store it seem, is that the Coke bear (where the photo area was) has been moved to the opposite corner. We didn't find anything really interesting here though, since we already had a picture with Mr. bear from before.
The M&M store had a lot of Star Wars-themed items this time around, I guess in anticipation for the new movie release.
My Fiance played around with the "personalize your own M&Ms kiosk". Once he saw they had official logos for sports, he was SOLD!
Next, we walked to the Coke and M&M stores. It's been a while since we've last visited. The only change at the Coke store it seem, is that the Coke bear (where the photo area was) has been moved to the opposite corner. We didn't find anything really interesting here though, since we already had a picture with Mr. bear from before.
The M&M store had a lot of Star Wars-themed items this time around, I guess in anticipation for the new movie release.
My Fiance played around with the "personalize your own M&Ms kiosk". Once he saw they had official logos for sports, he was SOLD!
He was originally going to make one, but then at the register, they offered him a small discount (medium size cup--3/4 LB for the price of the 1/2 LB). So of course he had to get his friend one too.
After, we crossed over to NY NY to visit Herseys. Nothing much has changed.
After, we crossed over to NY NY to visit Herseys. Nothing much has changed.
As we had the Shark Reef free admission tickets from myVEGAS, we walked to Excalibur to take the tram to Mandalay Bay.
First stop, the mlife counter at Mandalay Bay. We wanted to see if we could pick up our Fantasy show tickets for tonight at the same time. It was possible, but it took a while. After mlife printed out our confirmations, we still had to redeem both the Fantasy and the Shark Reef tickets at their respective box office(s). (Strange, I don't recall having to do this before). We found the trek to the aquarium to be inconvenient if you are coming through from the casino side. We traversed down to the convention meeting rooms (it had just let out a large group), then walk back up through a flight of stairs by Border Grill, then more walking.
First stop, the mlife counter at Mandalay Bay. We wanted to see if we could pick up our Fantasy show tickets for tonight at the same time. It was possible, but it took a while. After mlife printed out our confirmations, we still had to redeem both the Fantasy and the Shark Reef tickets at their respective box office(s). (Strange, I don't recall having to do this before). We found the trek to the aquarium to be inconvenient if you are coming through from the casino side. We traversed down to the convention meeting rooms (it had just let out a large group), then walk back up through a flight of stairs by Border Grill, then more walking.
Golden Crocodile. Is it really real? It barely moved. Nice color though.
Komodo Dragon. It looks harmless (see the half smile on his face). Surely it can't swallow 80% of its body weight...oh wait, it can.
Fly River Turtle with its long (pig-like) snout. So cute.
Pacu fish. Cousins to the Piranhas but they eat fruits and spit out the seeds to plant trees in swamps.
Baby Manta Rays that you can pet.
Starfish. If it could talk, it would say "so...umm, what are your plans tonight? Mines? Just hanging out, all ready for Halloween. You know, like a Turkey?."
From the reviews online, I knew going in that it wasn't going to be amazing. It's a neat attraction for kids (and the fact that they could fit it into the hotel and made the aquarium look like it's inside a shipwreck).
For an actual aquarium though, it was very small. If we had paid for it, I think we would have felt ripped off. But hey it was free. I guess its not the worst way to kill time and to distract us from losing money on slots. The only thing that stood out from this visit was seeing the Carpenter shark (Sawfish) that is endangered.
Apologies for my sad excuse for a video clip:
I played Alice and I'm not sure what I hit but it landed on the bonus where I could select different teacups. In the end, it gave me $50 on my 50 cents (it was my 3rd spin!). I'm quite happy on the ROI. Small victories!
After the aquarium, we still had time to burn before dinner ( 6:15p reservation at Charlie Palmers) before catching Fantasy @ Luxor. So we played a tiny bit of slots. With my recent bad run in slots, I vow to only play on minimum and stay away from $1/$5 slots. I think it worked out well.
I'm pretty sure I played a Willy Wonka slot too, and hit a bonus (the one with the bubbles). I thought it would give me a decent win since I got the top bonus, but it only paid something like $11. It was fun for a little while though.
We finally walked over towards Four Seasons and found a nice quiet spot to rest. It was only 5pm and my Fiance was hungry (really... already?). So I checked to see if I could move up our reservation on Open Table. Yes! Score. The next one was at 5:30p. So we walked in the restaurant and were checked in by a welcoming host. We were promptly seated and everyone was so friendly and attentive. I didn't even have to ask if they had Cut of the week menu. They were about to hand it out. I had call them a few weeks earlier to see if they still had the MJ one menu, but it seems with the price increase, they did away with it.
I'm pretty sure I played a Willy Wonka slot too, and hit a bonus (the one with the bubbles). I thought it would give me a decent win since I got the top bonus, but it only paid something like $11. It was fun for a little while though.
We finally walked over towards Four Seasons and found a nice quiet spot to rest. It was only 5pm and my Fiance was hungry (really... already?). So I checked to see if I could move up our reservation on Open Table. Yes! Score. The next one was at 5:30p. So we walked in the restaurant and were checked in by a welcoming host. We were promptly seated and everyone was so friendly and attentive. I didn't even have to ask if they had Cut of the week menu. They were about to hand it out. I had call them a few weeks earlier to see if they still had the MJ one menu, but it seems with the price increase, they did away with it.
We were served bread, but I didn't have any (hence, no pictures). Did we want water? Sparkling, distilled, or tap? We usually get strange looks when we opt for the regular (tap) water at restaurants in LV, since we are so used to drinking tap here in Hawaii. So my Fiancé decided on the bottled Fiji water. Later when he saw the bill for it ($~9), he was a bit shock since we hardly buy bottled water anymore.
According to the server, it's the first time they gave you a choice for the Cut of the Week menu. The menu this time is set for the entire month of December. What do I want for the Entrée? Chicken or King Salmon? Nope-- I make both at home pretty frequently (though it probably taste many times better here). So that leaves us with the Filet Mignon, which we make as well but not as often. But we are at a steak house after all, it would be criminal not to order it.
The restaurant interior is really dark. Perfect for a romantic dinner. One of the servers was joking with me "there's no shame to use your flash, there's no one here." I'm not a fan of flash anyway and I find it rude at restaurants. Oh, and I didn't bring it, so it's all good.
[PROS]
[CONS]
I wanted to see how different Charlie Palmers Steak was vs. Aureole since its by the same Chef. But it feels like comparing apples to oranges, so pretty pointless. I enjoyed both, but I think we enjoyed Charlie Palmers a bit more food-wise. They both had great service. My Fiancé loved their Gingerbread cookie that topped their heavenly Vanilla Crème Brulee. He said it was the "best" he's ever had. Though to his dismay, they only serve it as a garnish and it's not for sale. (In a way, that's good because I can totally imagine him buying a suitcase full of it).
- Great service!
- Great value for the Cut of the Week ($58 pp. with bottomless wine pairing; which usually changes weekly). The wine isn't fancy (they served a Pinot Grigio by 14 Hands- Columbia Valley, and a Italian Red Blend by Planeta La Segreta. But bottomless? I'll take it! I thought the wine pairings were done well, and really complimented the meal. Though in hindsight we didn't drink much.
[CONS]
- They are closed on Sundays (same with Aureole).
I wanted to see how different Charlie Palmers Steak was vs. Aureole since its by the same Chef. But it feels like comparing apples to oranges, so pretty pointless. I enjoyed both, but I think we enjoyed Charlie Palmers a bit more food-wise. They both had great service. My Fiancé loved their Gingerbread cookie that topped their heavenly Vanilla Crème Brulee. He said it was the "best" he's ever had. Though to his dismay, they only serve it as a garnish and it's not for sale. (In a way, that's good because I can totally imagine him buying a suitcase full of it).
Bibb Lettuce with Endives, Double Smoked Bacon, and Ranch Dressing. Lovely presentation and very good!
 |  |
Sides-- Chef's choice; served family style. I think it's Scalloped Potatoes and Haricot Verts with bacon?? But when you combine them both together with the Filet Mignon, its SO delicious!!!
We both ordered the Filet Mignon in "medium" with roasted shallot. My Fiance's one came out a bit more medium-well. Mines was perfect! Very good (I wouldn't say the best as my Fiance makes a darn good one too, but mines was cooked perfectly. My Fiance's one...well, it could be slightly better).
Yummy Crème Brulee with sugared berries and Gingerbread cookie.
No dear-- the Cappuccino is not included with the pre-fixe menu. And yes, you should have asked me before you order it, haha.
Holiday display leading down to Charlie Palmers.
After the great meal, we took the free tram to Luxor.
We played some slots, but since I didn't take any photos, there's no wins to speak of.
We played some slots, but since I didn't take any photos, there's no wins to speak of.
While we waited for Fantasy to start, we walked around the Titanic gift shop. I found that they sold tea by my one of my favorite tea brands.
When the seating finally started, we stood in line. We were surprised that almost the entire auditorium was filled before show time (there's no bathroom inside either, so you have to use it outside).
When the seating finally started, we stood in line. We were surprised that almost the entire auditorium was filled before show time (there's no bathroom inside either, so you have to use it outside).
Fantasy Calendar and DVD. The DVD introduces each of the cast individually with their likes and why they joined Fantasy.
We got our tickets free via myVEGAS and we sat in row 8 (H) out of 13. But my Fiancé would have gladly pay full-price for front row seats to see them again. Overall, we enjoyed it more than the MJ ONE (Cirque De Soleil). There was one performer (Sonya), that grew up in the circus. Her aerial stunts were really awesome!
To be honest, when my Fiancé first told me we were going, I was dreading it. I instantly thought..."great (sarcasm)...topless show" and kind of wrote it off. But I was quite surprised that it was actually good.
The host, Jamie Lynch has a beautiful voice and majority of the cast was beautiful. Overall the acts were quite classy. The guest Magician- Seth Grabel (pictured below) was very talented and entertaining too. Then again, he was on America's got talent.
On a side note for myVEGAS- after purchasing the show ticket rewards, they now send you a link that takes you to the mlife page where you book your seats directly on-line. I guess we got lucky to have adjoining seats this time. My Fiancé wanted to pay the difference for better seats, but when I spoke to a representative on the phone, they didn't allow that. In a way, this new redemption method is good for solo travelers because it eliminates having to call them like before.
To be honest, when my Fiancé first told me we were going, I was dreading it. I instantly thought..."great (sarcasm)...topless show" and kind of wrote it off. But I was quite surprised that it was actually good.
The host, Jamie Lynch has a beautiful voice and majority of the cast was beautiful. Overall the acts were quite classy. The guest Magician- Seth Grabel (pictured below) was very talented and entertaining too. Then again, he was on America's got talent.
On a side note for myVEGAS- after purchasing the show ticket rewards, they now send you a link that takes you to the mlife page where you book your seats directly on-line. I guess we got lucky to have adjoining seats this time. My Fiancé wanted to pay the difference for better seats, but when I spoke to a representative on the phone, they didn't allow that. In a way, this new redemption method is good for solo travelers because it eliminates having to call them like before.
You can take photos with the cast at the end of the show.
I ultimately did fall asleep towards the end (my Fiance said he's not going to take me to a show anymore since I fell asleep at KA CDS last time). In my defense, I was super tired and Fantasy didn't start until 10:30pm. But it was a good show and I would recommend. If you buy a calendar or DVD, some of the girls will autograph it. Then you can take a photo with a few of them. Excellent fan service!
After Fantasy, we returned back to Paris and called it a night (I think it was after 2pm).
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